Survival on mars

U Bremen Research Alliance partners develop future mars station.

Aggressive space radiation, a toxic atmosphere, temperatures averaging minus 65 degrees Celsius, and very low atmospheric pressure: living conditions on Mars are everything but friendly. The Bremen-based “Humans on Mars” initiative is researching radically new solutions for surviving in this extreme setting.

Numerous members of the U Bremen Research Alliance are involved with their expertise: the DLR Institute of Space Systems, the Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Technology and Advanced Materials IFAM, the Leibniz Institute for Materials Engineering IWT, the German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI) and the University of Bremen.

Researchers develop solutions in all areas, which are essential to survival on mars. What could housing for people on Mars look like? How should the crew supply themselves with water, with energy, with food? Since transport capacities are limited, it is important to use the local resources as sustainably and efficiently as possible.

Bioregenerative solutions play a crucial role, for example for the production of oxygen and biomass that can be used to produce food. The research partners are also striving to develop materials that protect against radiation and at the same time convert it into energy.

The cylindrical form is best able to compensate for pressure differences. © Jens Lehmkühler / U Bremen Research Alliance

The cooperation of research institutes is one of the most rewarding aspects, says the head of the department for polymer materials and construction methods at Fraunhofer IFAM, Dr. Katharina Koschek, who returned to Bremen due to the appeal of applied research after completing her undergraduate and doctoral degrees. Christiane Heinicke agrees. The geophysicist is leading the development of a future Mars station. She moved to Bremen after her experience in Hawaii because she was offered the opportunity to create an extraterrestrial habitat in Bremen, and she appreciates the interaction between the different research areas.

Originalpublikation:

Impact – The U Bremen Research Alliance science magazine

The University of Bremen and twelve non-university research institutes financed by the federal government cooperate within the U Bremen Research Alliance.

Twice per year, the Impact science magazine provides an exciting insight into the effects of cooperative research in Bremen. “Surviving on Mars” was published in issue 8 (August 2023).

Weitere Informationen:

https://www.bremen-research.de/en/impressions/survival-on-mars